Mates Conquer Everything, Right?

Sleep seems to end the minute I doze off. Between barely parted lids, I see Maya still by my side. The moment she notices I’m awake, she tries to hide her worried expression. I look down and find myself lying in a bath filled with ice.

I can only moan when another heat wave rises through my body. Not that I am not hot without it, because I constantly feel like my body is burning up. I will combust into a flame any moment now.

“Breath through the pain.” She tries to guide me through it while she’s using two thermometers at the same time, one in the bathtub and one in my ear.

“Oliver, I told you to stay away.”

“I know, mother, I couldn’t mindlink you.” She sighs and lets his son into the room. I should feel exposed with all the wet clothes clinging to my frame, but I can’t be bothered by that right now.

“I’m sorry, I need to concentrate on Violet. You’re here now, so what did you want to tell me?”

He sits down on a chair in the farthest corner. Oliver eyes me before he talks, compassion written on his face.

“The whole pack knows Violet is in heat by now. Unmated werewolves who fear Igétas left the grounds with the Alpha’s permission. The rest were asked to avoid the hospital and warned if they acted on instinct, they would accept death.”

“Son, that’s why you shouldn’t be here. You might think you can handle it now, but the heat can be stronger than this.”

That statement makes my head snap in her direction. She shushes me instantly, and Oliver continues.

“Igétas never told us about the strong mate connection he has with Violet. It seems like it is a couple of tiers higher than he let on; definitely higher than we thought. The heat is probably being more intense because of that.”

Maya strokes my hair. “I already thought about that, and I’m considering it might not just be her human side that connects so intensely with the heat. She has Luna-courage, so there must be a different side of her. Tell me about the Beta.”

Oliver wipes his face with his hand. “We needed eight warriors to contain him in the dungeon. His wolf completely took over.”

Maya has a grim expression. “We might need him for the second phase of the heat. Do me a favor and go to him, try to talk to him. We should get him back in his body. You know what will happen if he stays like that.”

Maya says, and I once more have no idea what they are talking about. Shit, I still don’t know what heat is and why it is hurting so much.

“I will, first I will bring you the ice from the pack kitchen. Zack has been sent to get more. The whole pack got the message to make ice in their homes and bring it over in shifts.”

“That’s great thinking. I’m glad the pack is coming together in this time of need.”

“It was my idea, by the way.” Oliver winks and leaves.

I can’t speak, my mouth feels so dry. The water of my tub is now lukewarm, ice melting from my body heat.

I can feel myself losing focus until my sight turns black again.

“It’s okay Maya, you can’t do more than you’re doing. You need to sleep too. Eat something.”

My eyes are closed when I hear Theresa speak.

“I can’t leave her like this.” Maya sobs quietly, “She is so young and she walked into the werewolf world without any knowledge. She is so hot, Theresa.”

“Yes, she is. Do you know what she also is? A fearless woman who accepted the fact that she is mated to a big Beta wolf, a grown up girl with spunk in her step. You have seen her on the obstacle run. She overcame all that, she can do this too.”

I murmur something. I want to contribute to the conversation and tell Maya that she means so much to me. She is acting like a mother to me, when mine is so far away.

“Oh honey,” I feel a hand on my face, a straw touching my lips. I drink the whole glass of water, finally finding the strength to open my eyes.

I feel a little better. I look at my hands. They are wrinkly from being submerged in the water for so long. The pain is still there, but the edge is off.

“Is-is it…” I take a breath, “going away?” My voice is cracking. Maya looks at me with pity.

“That was only the first phase, love. You should take this time to get yourself together. Do you want to eat something?”

Before I could answer, she is already fixing me a sandwich. Giving it to me, I see that she looks extremely tired.

I take a bite and ask my first question. “How long was this heat thing?”

“Six hours and counting.” Maya answers.

“Where is Igétas?” I vaguely remember him being contained.

“Vasil took over. He is in a safe place so that he can’t harm you or himself.”

I register that fact and save it for later, ready to ask my follow up question.

“What is a heat exactly?” I take another bite of “my breakfast”.

“Oh dear, you didn’t have a clue this was possible, did you?”

A tear escapes my eye and I shake my head. She is about to explain it to me when Theresa intervenes.

“Violet, do you think you can manage a couple of hours without Maya? I think she needs to go home and get a nap before coming back.”

Theresa,” Maya tries to talk, but Theresa shushes her.

Can I go a little time without her? “How much time till the next phase of this heat?”

“Normally about four hours, but we aren’t sure. You are a unique case.”

“Maya, it is okay, Theresa will take care of me,” I tell her and she nods, not wanting to go but needing a little time for herself.

“Tell her everything,” Maya tells the older woman. “She needs to know what is coming.”

She promises, almost pushing Maya out of the room. Theresa locks the door and comes to me, sitting by the tub and filling it with normal water.

My life is full of surprises. Life has sent me so many curveballs that I can open my own sports store at this point.

I still feel warm, but I’m not burning anymore. At least for now…